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There are many e-book reader reviews available on the internet today. You can also see them popping up in magazines and newspapers from time to time. This is due to the fact that e-book readers have really become hot gadgets – driven to a large extent by the launch of the Amazon Kindle 2.0 in February of 2009. Today there is a big range of e-book readers to select from and many people are looking for guidance to help them to make a buying decision.

A lot of reviews, understandably perhaps, concentrate heavily on the hardware itself – the Kindle’s display is this size, the Sony Daily Edition display is that size, this one includes touch screen functionality, that one weighs 10 oz.etc. Which is all very well, but if you’re buying your first e-book reader then you will probably be making a mental comparison between e-book readers and traditional books rather than between different types of e-book reader.

First of all, and just to put your mind at ease, a recent survey of American e-book reader owners found that four out of five of them would rather use their electronic devices than read a conventional book. Based on feedback like that it doesn’t look like those who have changed from conventional to e-books are missing the feel of a paper book. It looks as if fumbling with large, bound editions is an unattractive prospect for those who have experienced e-book readers.

One of the important things that you should check when picking your e-book reader is the display. Assuming that the main purpose of your e-book reader is to read books as opposed to surfing the web or watching video, you will certainly want to go for a reader which has an e-ink technology display. These are, very genuinely, much more like reading printed text on paper than the experience you get from a backlit computer screen. They also use less power, which allows you to go for long periods between charges. The display will momentarily go black when you turn the page. This is not a major problem, you will notice it at first but, after a very short time, you will find it as natural as turning the page in a normal book.

A further important factor which you should consider is the controls and the usability. The controls of the Amazon Kindle for example, are well set out and pretty intuitive to use. It’s very easy to drive the Kindle with only one hand, which makes it perfect if you’re sitting propped up in bed or on a crowded plane or train. Sony’s reader features touch screen controls – but this comes at the expense of a slightly lower quality display since currenttouch screen technology is not entirely transparent and also necessitates the use of a slightly more reflective screen.

Finally, don’t make the mistake of thinking that e-book prices are the same for all readers. A recent survey, performed by the New York Times, discovered variations in book prices across different e-book reader platforms. The difference in some cases was so large that picking the right reader could save you enough money to make the reader pay for itself within a year and you would still be left with a few dollars to buy some books! Obviously book pricing is volatile – so be sure to check on the average price of e-books for the reader that you are considering buying.